Antidepressant use still rising in Scotland

New data has shown that the number of anti-depressants being prescribed to people in Scotland is continuing to rise.

Scottish government figures have revealed that more than 10% of the population are on anti-depressant medication.

For the last financial year, some 4.6 million such drugs were prescribed, which is up by more than 350,000 on the previous year.

Anti-depressant prescribing increased from an annual growth of 7.6% in 2009/10 to 8.1% in 2010/11 and it is now believed that 11.3% of Scots over 15 take the drugs every day despite Scottish government pledges to try to reduce that rate.

The new figures have sparked a political row with Labour accusing the SNP of dropping its efforts in this area.

Dr Simpson, who is a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatry, added: “Back in 2007 the SNP set a target to bring the use of anti-depressants under control, but when the going got tough the SNP ditched the target.

“I know from my experience as a doctor that mental illness can be devastating for those who experience it. However, for all but the most serious cases, the daily use of drugs should be a last resort.”

There is variation of anti-depressant use across Scotland with 8.3% of people living in Shetland taking the drugs compared with 12.9% in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The health boards in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Forth Valley and Tayside all had rates of use above the Scottish average.